Valpo @ UIC - Saturday 1/31/15, 2PM

BigDFromUIC · January 31, 2015, 04:25:10 PM

And I will say that private schools think they're better simply because they're smaller and private...and that's not always the case...

Valpo is a tiny school....it isn't a surprise that your average ACT is higher...public and private schools are different...apples and oranges. Take UIC's top 4500 students (which is the population at Valpo)....I bet they blow Valpo's out of the water in terms of test scores.

For instance, this is SAT-related (can't find similar ACT stuff), but it kind of illustrates the point...

http://collegeapps.about.com/od/sat/a/horizon-league-sat-scores.htm

Heck, it seems that the average student at UIC is better at math and writing (and in some cases reading) than Valpo's average student...better test scores...so that makes UIC a better school?

I'm not gonna sit here and say that Valpo has bad academics...I just don't know...my point is it's very difficult to criticize UIC academics....you're gonna have to bring something better than ACT score comparison between a public/private.

Don't say UIC is a hard sell because of academics with nothing to back it up....just because you believe it doesn't make it reality.

HC · January 31, 2015, 04:33:50 PM

Didn't watch and really glad I didn't bet. Valpo minus ten looked tempting. Things look good at the top of the standings.

I don't know why this is a discussion on academics. Seems a kid getting a degree should be applauded regardless of where they go if they finish.

Just to add some fuel to the fire, http://www.acceptancerate.com/schools/university-of-illinois-at-Chicago and http://www.valpo.edu/admission/undergrad/frequently-asked-questions/

Personally I could never do a big city school, my hat is off to anyone who gets a college degree.

valpotx · January 31, 2015, 04:41:46 PM

I won't get too in-depth, but if your school receives the same ranking as the below schools in your category, you do not have a better academic reputation than Valpo (UIC is tied at #149 in National Universities):

University of Mississippi
University of Alabama-Birmingham
San Diego State University

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/page+14

Also, if you are listed behind these schools in your ranking category, the same applies:

University of Texas at Dallas
Oklahoma State University
Kansas State University
Washington State University
Louisiana State University
University of Arkansas
University of Oklahoma
University of Kentucky
Arizona State University
University of South Carolina
University of Tennessee
etc.

Again, UIC is a good school, no one is saying that it has a bad academic reputation. I also agree with HC that getting a degree from a decent school is all that matters, but Valpo is definitely the top of the HL in academic reputation.

usc4valpo · January 31, 2015, 05:16:06 PM

tx, the last statement about the academics was pretty arrogant. UIC has a decent engineering program.

valpotx · January 31, 2015, 05:25:00 PM

If someone makes the claim that there isn't another school in the HL that has a better academic reputation than their school (which BigD did), and asks for data, I am going to give comparisons. No one is saying that those schools are bad schools, but their overall national academic reputations are not as strong as how Valpo is perceived. You're going to tell me that when you think of LSU, Arizona State, and South Carolina, that you immediately think, 'wow, I wish that I could have gotten into that school, instead of Valpo!?!?'

usc4valpo · January 31, 2015, 05:48:08 PM

I think it depends what program of study you want to go into. Some of these schools have tremendous programs. I have to agree with the UIC guy - this is an apples to oranges conversation when you compare state and private schools.

valpopal · January 31, 2015, 06:08:54 PM

Not too bad: Twenty wins before February begins!

Smj · January 31, 2015, 06:59:13 PM

I was at the game and was impressed with the uic fan base -way more than I expected and louder. The area of Chicago that uic is in has really been cleaned up. Did not feel unsafe at all (not sure I would have said that a few years ago) as for academics - These days a degree is a degree. ... If you get one -way to go.

As for basketball - valpo is winning without a true starting point guard. ....... Every team is pressing and we are taking the pressure and finding a way to win!

sliman · January 31, 2015, 07:35:45 PM

Valpo is an excellent school. That's all anyone needs to know. And the person (or magazine) that thinks it can compare an rank schools is a fool. Everyone needs to determine the best school for their own needs and interests.

justducky · January 31, 2015, 07:45:40 PM

Quote from: Smj on January 31, 2015, 06:59:13 PMAs for basketball - valpo is winning without a true starting point guard. ....... Every team is pressing and we are taking the pressure and finding a way to win!

It just occurred to me that our point guard play is now much, much better than it was at the start of the season

even with our 3'rd and 4th string guys doing the job.

Please don't try to read too much into that previous sentence.

usc4valpo · January 31, 2015, 08:18:31 PM

sliman - agree with your comments. Many schools have their unique strengths.

wh · January 31, 2015, 08:54:22 PM

Just got home and find that we're engaged in a debate about who has the best academic reputation? Really?

It was a very exciting game to watch in person. Props to UIC. They made some good halftime adjustments and really took it to us in the 2nd half. They started driving the hoop instead of settling for jump shots. Next thing you know they were scoring and drawing fouls. We started sagging more and they got some good look 3's. It also didn't hurt that Fells had the game of his life. He was 5-6 from 2 and 6-7 from 3 for 28 points.

In any event we held on, which is all that counts at this point. Win and move on...

LaPorteAveApostle · January 31, 2015, 09:13:38 PM

Quote from: wh on January 31, 2015, 08:54:22 PMJust got home and find that we're engaged in a debate about who has the best academic reputation? Really?

wh, THIS is what happens when they take video away from us.

artist's rendering of what happens

ANIMALS i tell you ANIMALS

vusupporter · January 31, 2015, 09:18:42 PM

He's only a freshman, but I'm about ready to put Tevonn Walker up there as one of the toughest players I've ever seen wear a Valpo uniform. What ankle injury? And then how about the wherewithal after his put back dunk late, to not celebrate, but get back on D and come up with a key steal.

oklahomamick · January 31, 2015, 09:31:22 PM

Bryce hit on the Canadian gamble.

oklahomamick · January 31, 2015, 09:40:43 PM

I didn't get much support when I compared Oakland academics to valpo. It was after our lost, so maybe it looked like sour grapes. Oakland academics are far less superior than UIC. At the end of the day it's tough to compare state vs. private. I'll say it again, we don't have anything in common with our HL partners besides geography. I actually think the other HL schools have an advantage over us in recruiting. I don't think our bball facilities or weight room are comparable to the state funded schools. Also Bryce and the university would not recruit guys who were dismissed from other programs. Bryce wouldn't have Mondy or a Sledger type from wsu. Even though those guys would help the team.

valpo84 · January 31, 2015, 09:56:57 PM

Oklahomanick--YSU's basketball facilities are akin to Hilltop, and hilltop was/is still better. Your point about private/public is why being in the Big Least or A-10 would make more sense.

Saw Jay Harris was 0 for the field but 11/12 from line. Interesting performance....

oklahomamick · January 31, 2015, 10:17:31 PM

Quote from: valpo84 on January 31, 2015, 09:56:57 PM
Oklahomanick--YSU's basketball facilities are akin to Hilltop, and hilltop was/is still better. Your point about private/public is why being in the Big Least or A-10 would make more sense.

Saw Jay Harris was 0 for the field but 11/12 from line. Interesting performance....

YSU doesn't count....

historyman · January 31, 2015, 10:44:54 PM

Quote from: valpo84 on January 31, 2015, 09:56:57 PMSaw Jay Harris was 0 for the field but 11/12 from line. Interesting performance....

Grizz:

QuoteHarris shot 12 FT's (half as much as Felder did against Valpo at OU) because Valpo likes to foul a lot. Valpo always fouls a lot. There could be no other explanation. The refs never make bad foul calls on the visiting team. Oakland will never be called for an excessive amount of fouls on the road because the Grizzlies are incapable of fouling too often on the road. It's simply that Oakland is much better at defense on the road because they don't foul as much as Valpo does on the road. And that's a fact, jack!

valpotx · February 01, 2015, 12:52:23 AM

I can't wait to beat the crap out of Oakland at home...

a3uge · February 01, 2015, 01:02:00 AM

I'm a proud Valpo alumn, but school snobbery is worse than beer snobbery.

FWalum · February 01, 2015, 09:10:32 AM

Quote from: historyman on January 31, 2015, 10:44:54 PMGrizz:

Harris shot 12 FT's (half as much as Felder did against Valpo at OU) because Valpo likes to foul a lot. Valpo always fouls a lot. There could be no other explanation. The refs never make bad foul calls on the visiting team. Oakland will never be called for an excessive amount of fouls on the road because the Grizzlies are incapable of fouling too often on the road. It's simply that Oakland is much better at defense on the road because they don't foul as much as Valpo does on the road. And that's a fact, jack!

What rubish, here are the facts - Valpo has committed 160 fouls to our opponents 156 in conference, that includes the 16 foul difference in the Oakland game. So against every other conference team we are 132 to 144 in fouls. Gee, it seems we foul LESS than our opponents not more. For the entire season we are 404 to 430, so once again less than our opponents.

chipper955 · February 01, 2015, 09:23:20 AM

Anyone else at the game who was disappointed by the lack of noise the Valpo fans were making? For the number of Valpo fans there were at the game I thought they would have made more noise than what there was. The UIC fans got pretty loud a couple of times, but not much from Valpo, at least where I was sitting.

wh · February 01, 2015, 10:18:28 AM

You're right. For whatever reason we all seemed to be sitting on our collective hands until the very end when we hit a couple of key baskets at a crucial time.

LaPorteAveApostle · February 01, 2015, 11:26:49 AM

I wonder, though...VU fans tend to be polite to an extreme at times, and don't always make a lot of noise even at home (not denigrating; certainly they are always loud when needed!). I would think it would only be true of us to be more reserved in someone else's home!

Reminds me of the time a couple decades ago when the Cameron Crazies were taken to task for their outlandish and embarrassing behavior, so the next game they were purposefully quiet and held up various signs, like after a bad call: "We Beg to Differ", etc.